THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Business & Ag
Albertsons bids on local Haggen
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Of the 95 Haggen stores
for sale at auction in Ari-
zona, California, Nevada,
Oregon, and Washington,
Albertsons (Albertsons,
LLC) submitted bids for 36
Haggen stores, including
four located in Oregon—
Ashland, Baker City,
Eugene and Springfield.
Of the four, the prop-
erty in Baker City received
the largest baseline bid,
$300,000, followed by
Ashland and Eugene, both
at $200,000, and Spring-
field at mere $1.
Baker County lists the
Baker City building’s
value at $2.8 million, $3.4
million including the land
on which it sits.
On January 30, AB
Acquisition, LLC, the
owner of Albertsons, LLC,
merged with Safeway, Inc.,
acquiring all of Safeway’s
outstanding shares. As
a condition of the $9.2
billion merger, the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC)
ordered Albertsons and
Safeway to sell 168 stores
(146 acquired by Haggen)
in eight states, in order to
avoid violating antitrust
regulations by creating
monopolies in 130 dif-
ferent markets, including
Baker City.
This was the largest
USFS
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Harvey introduced
Montoya, who explained,
“We’re here to talk about
the draft forest plan for the
Blue Mountains Forest.
That includes the Wal-
lowa-Whitman National
Forest, of course.”
He said that, while
many were concerned
about access, as South-
worth explained, access
wasn’t the sole focus of the
meeting.
Montoya said, “It’s an
umbrella document (the
Forest Plan Revision) that
guides how we’re going
to move forward with
management. It’s a vision
of where we want desired
conditions for resources
out there, and helps to
guide those site-specific
projects that many of you
are probably most con-
cerned about… Our plan
is from 1990, so, 25 years
has gone past. So, it’s a
little outdated… I hope
you all agree that now’s
the time to move on with
our forest plan, and build
something that works for
you all, the public.”
Montoya went on to
explain that he seeks
solutions from the public
regarding a better revision
process, including better
scientific data, and to put
together a plan that works
for everyone.
“I don’t always agree
with the way road den-
sity is used, I’ll be honest
with you,” Montoya said,
addressing a topic that he
said has caused concern
among many individuals.
He stated conflicts with
analyzing road densities
and resources, and he said
it oftentimes doesn’t make
sense to him.
Addressing another is-
sue, he’s heard the forest
discussed as either in an
“open” or “closed” state,
and said, “Personally, I
don’t think that kind of
language paints the right
FTC-ordered supermarket
divestiture to date, accord-
ing to the agency.
Haggen acquired the
former Baker City Alb-
ertsons, converted it, and
opened for business in
mid-May this year. In
all, Haggen grew from 18
stores with 16 pharma-
cies to 164 stores with
106 pharmacies, and from
2,000 employees to more
than 10,000.
Albertsons sued Haggen
for more than $41 mil-
lion in damages on July
17, 2015, claiming that
Haggen owed Albertsons
for unpaid inventory, and,
in response, Haggen sued
Albertsons for more than
$1 billion in damages
on September 1, 2015,
claiming that Albertsons
engaged in efforts to
eliminate competition, and
made false representations
to Haggen and the FTC.
That Albertsons has been
allowed to purchase the
local Haggen store has
caused some confusion,
since the FTC had origi-
nally ordered Albertsons to
sell the store to Haggen, in
order to break up what the
agency saw as a monopoly
with merged Albertsons
and Safeway, which still
resides directly across
Campbell Street from the
current Haggen store).
“I think it’s a really
unfortunate circumstance
that the federal govern-
ment (Federal Trade
Commission, FTC) has, in
typical form, decided we
couldn’t have a monopoly
with two stores, so, now,
we have one (Safeway).
The public will suffer with
that. Lack of competi-
tion is not a good thing,
and, Baker’s right on the
cusp of being big enough
to support two or more,
or, maybe not. But, then,
the economy here is pretty
soft,” said Greg Sackos,
who owns the ground
where the building sits, but
in a contract arrangement,
leases the building to Hag-
gen through a company he
manages, BTI II, LLC.
“I think that the FTC was
in error when they made
them—I don’t think they
thought about—you know,
if you get rid of four gro-
cery stores in Las Vegas,
Nevada, that’s a whole lot
different than getting rid of
a store in Baker City, Or-
egon. La Grande supports
two very well. I would
hate to see our people have
to go to La Grande for
buying food, basic items. I
think that Haggen (Haggen
Holdings, LLC), who’s
controlled by Comvest
(Comvest Haggen Hold-
ings III, LLC, Comvest
Haggen Holdings IV, LLC,
and HHI Corp.), had this
thing set up for failure. I
think it’s inappropriate
that Haggen has some of
their entities in bankruptcy
on the operating side, and
they’ve got some of their
companies on the property
ownership side not into
bankruptcy. It makes me
wonder how that can even
be.”
Sackos made a reference
to bankruptcy docu-
ments which indicate, for
example, that Haggen,
Inc., Haggen Opco North,
LLC, and Haggen Opco
South, LLC are all listed
as co-debtors, and Haggen
Property South, LLC and
Haggen Property North,
LLC are listed as creditors,
at the same Bellingham,
Washington address.
“I’m angry about what’s
happening. I think it’s
horrible, and, I hope that
ultimately, they discover
who is profiting by this.
So, you can thank Alb-
ertsons, in part. I think
they’re complicit in this,
as well. They went along
with the program, and,
who knows,” Sackos said.
Haggen is slated for clo-
sure sometime this month.
Areas of the store, such as
the periodicals and phar-
macy have already closed
down within the store.
picture, folks. Your na-
tional forests have always
been open.” Though, he
said there will be continu-
ing debate and issues re-
garding access for multiple
uses.
On the topic of multiple
uses, he said that handi-
capped access is also very
important to him, but,
“Legally speaking, an
ATV is not a wheelchair,
so, we simply cannot open
every square mile of the
national forests for ATVs,
for disabled use.”
Montoya’s heard strong
opposition to the require-
ment of designated routes,
but, he has to follow
guidelines he can’t himself
change, he said.
He’s impressed with
the passion individuals
have shown at previous
meetings, for the love of
the forest system, and for
the stewardship that’s also
been displayed, he said.
Southworth handed the
microphone to Wallowa
County Commissioner
Paul Castilleja. He said,
“I think it’s important for
all of us to know, that our
forests are in bad shape…
I think it’s time that we
really take a really great
look at what changes we
want to have made, and, to
make this happen…” He
spoke about minimizing
the time it takes to ac-
complish goals, about the
devastation from wildfires
and disease, and said,
“I can honestly say that,
everybody here is taking
a stand. Now, I’m going
to be asking the Forest
Service, that it’s time for
you to take a stand.”
Castilleja’s comments
were followed by applause,
which was to be repeated
throught the meeting, after
each speaker.
Chuck Chase, Executive
Director for the Eastern
Oregon Mining Associa-
tion (EOMA), said, “It’s a
very key ingredient (open
roads, including to min-
ing resources). There’ve
been too many closed
roads in the Wallowa-
Whitman. I’ve watched
over the years—for the
last 24 years—almost a
reverse of the open policy
of public land…” He said,
without process, arbitrary
road closings have been
implemented, followed
by a “Here, here,” by an
attendee.
Bobbie Danser, EOMA
Treasurer, said, “I’d like
to know, under that statute
(unclear at the time),
where does that enable you
to designate routes, reduce
road densities, obliterate
roads, deny public access
in any form, be it grazing,
logging, mining, or other
resource use. Give us
the statute that you draw
your authority from, for
these heinous, anti-public
actions that are being
proposed.”
Montoya responded that,
under the Travel Manage-
ment Rule of 2005, the
USFS isn’t required to
close roads, but rather,
designate routes, depend-
ing upon the different
needs and uses. Danser
said, “Rules are not stat-
utes.”
Christina Witham, with
the local off-road 4x4
group Locked & Loaded,
spoke about the economic
benefits regarding road
access to the forest.
Baker County Commis-
sioner and rancher Mark
Bennett said, “We need to
protect our working land-
scape, for multiple use.
Not protect the landscape,
but the working landscape.
There’s a big difference
there, if you think about
that for a moment. We
need to really value the
community’s values, the
customs of forest use, the
culture, access, recreation.
This puts together eco-
nomic stability…It’s really
said, when you look at
what happened on Dooley
Mountain…” Paraphras-
ing explorer John Wesley
Powell’s report to the
U.S. Congress, Bennett
said, “The most important
decision on the landscape
will be made by the local
population.”
Former Oregon Cattle-
man’s Association (OCA)
President and land owner
John Hayes said, “You can
waste all the ink you want
to, push all the papers you
want to, get everything
going you want to do, but,
until you get control of
people like Oregon Natu-
ral Desert (Association,
or ONDA)…and creeps
like that, that are out to do
nothing more than kill the
food chain of America,
and, they’ve done a good
job.” He said he lost his
Burnt River area ranch
in 2005 because of lack
of USFS support, issues
with claimed Canadian
lynx habitat, and Environ-
mental Protection Agency
(EPA) litigation.
Ron Carpenter men-
tioned in all the years he’s
traveled throughout the
forest system, he hasn’t
seen USFS personnel pick
up any road trash, stating,
“As far as I’m concerned,
you guys have got a long
way to go to get my vote.”
Jan Alexander, EOMA
Minerals Director, voiced
issues with the USFS’s
lack of partnership with
Baker, Grant, Union, and
Wallowa counties. She
said, “We count. We’re
important. But we sure
don’t feel like it.”
Ken Alexander, EOMA
President, talked about
the history of the 1897
Organic Act and the 1905
Forest Transfer Act. He
said, “…the decisions were
supposed to be made by
the local people, and the
forest was supposed to be
used, and not just locked
away. It’s absolutely for
the use and benefit of graz-
ing, mining and logging,
of the local people.”
Leo Castillo, radio host
and member of the Baker
County Chapter of Oath-
keepers, while explain-
ing he had no animosity
toward USFS personnel,
discussed issues with sus-
tainability of the national
forests, the positive effects
of the defeat of the Travel
Management Plan in 2012,
and waking up and assum-
ing control of local lands
again, because federal
control doesn’t work.
SEE USFS MEETING
PAGE 8
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, November 6, 2015 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to week
ago prices. Export sales have picked up slightly.
Retail/Stable demand for all types of hay from
Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Wasco counties con-
tinues to be good. Many producers have decided
to hold on to their hay for now, in hopes for higher
prices. Snow has hit some of the hay producing
areas.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Large Square, Supreme
100 235.00-235.00 235.00
Alfalfa — Small Square, Premium
50 215.00-215.00 215.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square, Premium
50 215.00-2150.00 2150.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square, Premium
40 200.00-200.00 200.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1,676
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 274.00 - 306.00 Top 315.00
400-500# Bulk 203.00 - 258.00 Top 265.00
500-600# Bulk 188.00 - 217.00 Top 218.50
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 221.00 - 254.00 Top 263.00
400-500# Bulk 173.00 - 196.00 Top 199.00
500-600# Bulk 171.00 - 194.00 Top 195.00
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Steers
Bulk 161.00 - 190.00 Top 193.50
Bulk 151.00 - 179.00 Top 183.50
Bulk 151.00 - 163.00 Top 164.00
Bulk 143.00 - 150.00 Top 152.00
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Heifers
Bulk 159.00 - 179.00 Top 183.75
Bulk 153.00 - 172.00 Top 176.00
Bulk 141.00 - 150.00 Top 152.00
Bulk 129.00 - 147.00 Top 148.00
Thin Shelly Cows 40.00 - 64.00
Butcher Cows 66.00 - 75.00
Butcher Bulls 78.00 - 94.00
Stock Cows Yng. 1375.00 - 1625.00
Younger Hfrts. 112.00 - 138.00
Stock Cows Older. - 980.00 - 1375.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf
White fir is $365.00/mbf
Ponderosa Pine is brought sold
on diameter splits
6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF
12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF
18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF
24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF
DIB is diameter inside bark at
small end of log.
MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale.
People interested in selling logs
should call and get specific
quotes from saw mills.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,087.60
Silver: $14.37
Platinum: $900.80
Palladium: $598.50
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $359.00/bu/USD
Wheat: $490.75/bu/USD
Soybeans: $855.50/bu/USD
Oats: $226.50 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $11.88/cwt/USD
Canola: $468.00 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $129.30/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $164.15/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $53.93/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com